Autographic register



Aug. 8, 1950 L. A. HoLMAN AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1'7, 1947 INVENTOR 2oz/1A ffm/7,4m

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. A. HOLMAN AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Aug. 8, 1950 vFiled March 17, 1947 L. A. HoLMAN 2,518,320 AuTosRzwHc REGISTER Filed March l', 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l' JV INVENTOR nu /L' A. /YOL /ymY Nk NN m, NM. NN

Aug. 8, 1950 ATTORN EYS Patented ug. 8`, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Leslie A. Holman, Waltham, Mass.

Application March 17, 1947, Serial No. 735,064

19 Claims.

sheets in continuous strip form, drawn from a manifold flat pack or other suitable supply means. It operates to deposit separate and detached record sheets in a storage compartment or auditors boX and to present the remaining detached sheets of each recorded transaction in an ejected position for being easily picked up by the operator.

In the use of the present machine a preliminary step as heretofore, is to manually adjust the superposed strips in registered position onto the writing table with the usual carbons interleaved between the sheets. As a part of this preliminary threading step, upper sheets (to be retained by-the operator) are guided above and lower sheets (for a storage compartment) are guided below a xed deector plate which partially overlaps the front edge of the writing table. By this means the subsequent advance of the sheets over the table continuously insures a proper separation of the operators sheets from the auditors sheets.

After the preliminary threading and adjusting of the strips on the writing table as aforesaid, a table clamp is brought into action which firmly clamps the strips to the table so that the sheets may be written upon without danger of disturbing the registration. When the Writing is completed, paper feed mechanism is operated to release the clamp and grasp a ieading edge of the strip (preferably at a forward right hand corner) andL draw the same forward with a straight line puli until a new set of sheets are in registration upon the table. At this point in the feed advance the table clamp automatically operates to halt further travel of the registered sheets on the table while the paper feed mechanism continues the pull on the forward sheets so as to tear them fromV the succeeding sheets along preformed transverse rupture lines.

A feature of the sheet tearing action accomplished by my mechanism is that a paper gripper of the feed at the end of its straight line pull in registering a new sheet on the table retains its grasp on the strip through an additional part of a forward stroke and is caused to swing inwardly on an arc under the reactive pull from the registered sheet clamped to the table whereby the forces of pulling the sheets apart :are applied at an angle for more readily starting and completing the tearing action. Furthermore, the action of the gripper in thus tearing olf sheets is accomplished in a manner to throw the upper sheets slightly to one side on the receiver platform so that they are presented for easy pick up by the operator. The table clamp continues to hold the newly registered sheets on the writing table in rmly clamped position until the paper feed is returned to again grasp the leading edge of the severed strips for the next feed.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View in reduced scale of the complete register machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the machine in somewhat larger scale along line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and giving a general View of the cabinet interior;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section in further enlarged scale along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 to show details of the :paper clamp mechanism, said mechanism being in clamping position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the paper clamp mechanism in release position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section along line 5-5 of Fig. 4. In this view the complete paper feed slide is shown in the course of a return stroke; i

Fig. 6 is a Ydetail longitudinal section at the central partition wall of the cabinet to show the position of the parts when the paper feed slide is at the rear end of its stroke;

Fig. 'l is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the position of the parts just before the end of the rst phase of forward stroke of the paper feed slide when the paper is about to be clamped on the table;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the paper clamp in action as completed by the continued forward motion of the paper feed slide from the position shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail longitudinal section at the upper rear end of the cabinet to show the opening action of the paper grip jaws at the forward end of a feed slide stroke;

Fig, 10 is a plan View of the rear section of the register with the parts in position corresponding to Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 isa plan view of the front section of the register with the parts in position corresponding to Fig. 'Z

Fig. l2 is a plan view of the complete register showing the paper feed slide at the end of its forward stroke. In this position the paper grip jaws are as shown in Fig. 9 and the paper clamp is as shown in Fig. 8. v

The frame of the register machine is in the form of a cabinet or casing indicated generally Vat I which for convenience is divided by a trans'- verse middle partition 2 into a forward section or sheet receiver and a rear section for the sheet.

supply.

A cross bar 3 extends transversely` across the top of the cabinet slightly above the top of partition 2 and is fixedly supported at each end by vertical bracket struts v4 and 5 at each side of the cabinet. These Vstruts Iare `fastened to the bottom 5 of thecabinet as well as tothe partition 2 `and cross bar 3. Corner posts 1 `and 8 also rise `from the bottom 5 at each rear corner of the cabinet. Opposite side panels 9 and l0 for the cabinet are secured to these posts 'I and l! and to the middle struts 4 and 5, and are inter'- tted at therfront of the cabinet with the front wall I I which comprises an assembly of metal sheets rising from the bottom 6.

At the top of the rear section lof the cabinet is a writing support or table I2 which consists of astiff smooth plate yextending rearwardly from the mid partition 2. 'The table I2 vis supported horizontally Ain vfixed position at its front end by the struts l4 and 5 and at Aits rear end `by brackets 'and cross brace rod iI3 fbetween corner posts `I and 8. The front edge of table I2 is slightlyv rounded and `notched out rearwardly at yeach 'forward'corner adjacent the 'partition 2 for the passage of stop clampsas will appear.

A paper supply compartment I4 is thus provided by vthe rear section 'ofthe cabinet and a manifold atpack indicated Vat t5 may be intron duced therein through an open rear end. 'An L-shaped cover It hinged at Il to cross bar i3 serves -to close'said open end and is 'provided with handle H l. The topportioncf said cover which overlies the table *I2 'is formed with a window opening `Ill to expose the top Sheet of the superposed paper formsl for being written upon. As is customary the iiatpack i5fmaybe composed of a pluralityof-s-uperposed continuous strips of sheets foldedzigzagalong perforated or weakened rupture lines for easy severance. Vertical stack guides 2|, 2-2 are provided to hold the pack I5. The superposed strips are indicated at2-3 asbeing guided tothe top of table I2 over a rounded rear extension 24 thereof.l

In the preliminary adjustment ofthe strips upon the table l2, they are interleaved with the usual carbon sheets 25 trailing from tie pieces 26 which are held in Vspaced keepers 21 and 28 (see Fig. 1217).

T he front sectionlor'sheet receiver of the cabinet has a top wall serving as a discharge Aplatform 29 for the upper sheets of the strips. This lplatfor'mfextend's rearwardly from the front wall ll and hasranintegral converging rear vtongue portion 30 which partially verlaps'the table l2 in spaced Vvertical relation and serves as a deflector for guiding 4s omewof the strips to the Lipper side of sati'dplatformB and some of the strips to the lower sidethereof and into -a clcsedvstoragecompartment-I Access to this compartment, sometimes called the auditors box, may be had through a lockable door (not shown) in the left side panel. For illustrative purposes in Fig. 2 of the drawing only two superposed strips are indicated as being advanced over table I2 and being separated by the deilector tongue 35, with the upper strip 32 on top of platform 25 and a lower strip 33 beneath the same for discharge into the auditors box Si. A vertical stack guide 34 for stored `sheets vis provided at the right side of the box 3 l see Fig. 5.

c The discharge platform 29 extends transversely across the top of compartment 3l except for a longitudinal space adjacent the right panel I0, which vspace is left for the working of the feed mechanism to Vbe described. The forward part of side panel it has an integral horizontal roof portio'n '35 which partially overlaps platform 29 and covers thespace aforesaid. The rear part of side panel IE) is cut away at its top edge to provide a slot v35 for the travel of the finger .piece 3l projecting `laterally from the operating .member 38 for the feed mechanism.

IThe reciprocable slide of the feed mechanism rod 4d Iwhich is xedfat its 'frontend in anchor piece 4lY of front wall II (see Fig. 9), and at 'its rear end to corner post 8 by nut l2 (see Fig. l2). Tlienop rating member 38 'is fast to the rear end of slide sleeve 39 Vand has projecting forwardly from its :upper Ipart an escapernent Ydog 43 andV from its lower part a striker nger '44. This striker-441 functions to close a table-clamp later to be described. c

-Spaced below rod 4Q isa lpf-irallel shorter guide rod 55, the forward'end of which is fixed infront wall `ll and ithe rear end of which is fixed in a Y bracket web 46 of the mid strut 5. A flathori'- Zo'ntal-saddle -piecerfi'l lis fastened to the tcp front end yportion `of slide Sleeve 39, by rivet posts 49 and 55, -a'nd an integral ydepending leg 5I from thes'addle4-'ljisforked at 52 to straddle the lower guide 'rod VT45` and thus restrain the Vsaddle 4l and its sleeve l39 from turning on rod 45 during recipr'ocaticns thereon. The klower end of leg 5I has a rearwardly projecting vfinger 53 which acts as astriker t'o open the aforesaid table clamp which will be described later.

yfPii/"otally mounted on rivet `post 4S of saddle 4l -isa' gripper carriage 54 havinga horizontal top riding on thesaddle and inner verticalside flange 55 which limits its sidewise swing. A spring 55 anchored on post vpresseszagainst a-pin 5l on the carriage and tends lto keep the carriage to the rightiin alignment 'with its saddle as limited by the abutment vof the flange 55 against said saddle. The carriage top 54 `isslotted at'58 to engage under vthe head of rivet .post5ll and keep said'carf riage `top inparallelism with its saddle 4l.

A "gripper Vplate 59 fixed `to theside flange 55 of y:carriage 54, has at its upper end aninturned horizontal ledge 5! constituting a f xed jaw for the gripper. A gripper'lever 5I is rpivoted at 62 on Vsaid plate 59 and has atits upper end an inturned-angular `ledge 63 Vwhich constitutes the movable jaw for the gripper. A spring 54 (see Fig. 1.1) fastened "between plate 59 Vand lever .5I

tends toswing the latter clockwise and close jaw 53 against fixed jaw lill. dog 55 is pivoted at 55 on plate land normally tends to hang in -a verticalposition as shown in Fig-aso as to` engage its'nose 6l undera beak A gravity hung latchV ture line.

'O said gripper lever 6l and thus latch the gripper in open position.

At the forward end of a slide stroke of sleeve 39 and gripper carriage 54, the `lower end of gripper leverl is brought into striking contact with a fixed abutment 69 on the front wall H so as to open gripper jaw 63 and enable latch dog 65 to swing into its latching position and retain the jaw 63 open as shown in Fig. 9. At the rear end of a slide stroke the tail of` latch dog 65 is carried against a stop hook 10 fixed `to mid partition il whereby the open gripper lever is unlatched and will automatically close jaw B3 under the force of its spring 64 as shown in Fig. 6. Thus closed the jaw (i3 will remain closed until the end of a ,forward slide stroke. The pivot t2 of gripper lever El is so located as to produce a cramping action in tightening the grip of the jaws d-ue to dragging action from gripped paper. i

As shown in Fig. l2,- a longitudinal` guide rail 1i is iixedly positioned in` casing I, parallel to guide rod 4i! and spaced to the right thereof. The pivoted carriage 54 has a narrow retainer lip 12 depending from its right side adapted to engage the outside of rail 'li for sliding thereon during the reciprccations of slide sleeve Sil. The guide rail 'il terminates at its forward end 'I3 and extends from the start of the forward slide stroke participated in by said retainer lip i2 whereby from the beginning of a forward slide stroke of the feed mechanism the gripper carriage 54 `will be positively held .from swinging on its pivot 49 until the stroke has carried the retainer lip 'l2 beyond the end point 'i3 of rail ll. From this point forward and during the remainder of the slide stroke, the carriage 54 and its gripper are free to swing inwardly to the left against only the pressure of carriage spring 5E.

As a result of this construction the action of the paper feed mechanism in advancing a strip of sheets is as follows, it being understood that the same action takes place with a plurality of superposed strips as with a single strip.

In Fig. l a leading sheet 'ill of the Vstrip is shown in registered position on the writing table l2 with its front edge projecting slightly forward of the cross bai` 3. The return of the slide sleeve 39 and its appurtenances to the rear posi-` tion shown in Fig. l0 causes the gripper jaws til, S3 to close upon the front right corner of sheet 14 as has been described and as shown in Fig. 6. i

Then a forward movement of the slide by means of linger piece 31 will advance the strip with a straight line pull over the writing table to bring a succeeding form sheet 'l5 into registration therewith and the position oi the parts at this juncture is shown in Figs. 7 and l1. The forward slide stroke has not been completed but the new sheet 'l5 is in registration and ready to be clamped on the table for writing. The remainder oi the forward slide stroke is employed to effect this clamping and halting of sheet l and to continue its pull on the forward sheet 'M in a manner to most effectively and easily tear sheet 'lli from sheet 'l5 along the preformed rup- A full description of the sheet stop or clamping mechanism will be given later. For the prevent it will suiice to say that immediately following the position of the parts in Fig. 7, the continued forward slide movement will actuate clamp mechanism comprising angle` shaped feet 76 and 'il which are snapped upwardly to clamp the table sheet l5 against the underside.. of .cross bar 3 as shown in Fig. 8 (the sheeti being omitted from this figure for clarity) At thesame time the retainer lip 12 on carriage 54` willpass beyond control of guide rail 'H but the gripper jaws 60, (i3 continue to pull on the right front corner of the forward sheet M. The reactive force of the halted sheet l5 upon the` grippers S0, 53 will obviously swing the carriage '54in4 wardly of its slide sleeve 39 so that the continued forward pull of the grippers takes place at a gradually increasing angle to the straight Aforward path of the slide. This angular applica-L tion of the separating forces on sheets M and 'I5 will Very effectively start the tearing action at the right end of the rupture line and the tearing will progressively continue across the sheets during the completion of the forward slide stroke. With the arrival of the parts at the position shown in Fig. 12, sheet 'lil has been completely severed from sheet 'i5 and is being ejected on to the discharge platform 29.in an angular laterally displaced position for being easilypicked up by the operator. Any sheets underlying platform 29 will be similarly acted on and discharged into the storage compartment 3l It will be appreciated that the reactive pull on the grippers B, 63 from the halted sheet 15 will cease when the tearing is completed as well as when the grippers are opened atthe end of the stroke. Therefore, to maintain the angular travel of the gripper carriage 5e to the end of the stroke, and tc insure a proper discharge of the sheets, a relatively short end guide 78 is provided projecting rearwardly from the front wall Il. As shown in Fig. l2 this guide i8 engages behind the ange of carriage 54 for a short space near the end of the stroke. Upon the return stroke, the carriage t escapes from guide 18, immediately snaps to the right under force of its spring 56 and reengages its retainer .lip I2 with guide rail 'H in its return travel. l

Sheet clamp and stop mechanism The means for halting the rear sheet while the forward sheet of the strip is torn therefrom will now be described referring more particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and fi. f

A vertically disposed plate l@ is slidably mounted on the rear side of mid partition 2 by means of retaining studs and slots such as 86, 3l for a relatively short up or down throw. The left and right top corners or" plate 'H9 have short vertical extensions in the form of angle shaped clamp feet l' and il previously mentioned. The top edge of plate 19 lies below the writing table l2 and the top of clamp feet "l5, il extend past clearance corners B2, 83 at the front end of table l2 (see Fig. l2) and project slightly above the main level of table i2 (see Fig. 7). Front corner wings 4, 85 are bent slightly upward from table I2 to guide the sides of the strip or strips over the top of clamp feet iii, il all as shown in Fig. 7 where the slide plate lil is down, and the clamp open.

At the proper time the slide plate "i9 is thrown up to press the clamp feet against the underside of cross bar 3 and clamp the paper strip or strips therebetween as shown by the position of the parts in Fig. 8. For this purpose the lower edge of slide plate 'itl has fixed 'thereto a horizontal cam bar 86 which is under constant upward pressure from coiled springs 81 and 88 interposed between the same and the bottom 6 of the cabinet. Each end of bar 86 has an upwardly pro'- .iecting tooth or cam follower 89, Sul which `bear vagainst a rockable cam shaft 9i held .in bearings 92 and 93 on mid partition 2. .Cam notches Bland 95 are lformed in the shaft 9i to cooperate with .the followers 89, 90 whereby when the followers ride into said notches, the slide bar 19 is thrown up by the springs 81, BS, and when the followers ride out of said notches the slide .bar is cammed down `by the rock shaft9l.

The right end of -rock shaft 9i Vhas fast thereto a segment crank 95. A striker pin 91 projects laterally .from the left side of crank 96 and lies in path of striker finger es carried by member 38 at the rear end of the slidesleeve 39. A striker pin 98 projects laterally from the right side of crank S96 and lies 'in the path of striker finger 53 carried by depending leg at the frontend of the slide sleeve 39. The shaft `SII is rocked to close the clamp by the action of ringer 44 against pin 497|, and to open the rclamp vby the action of iinger`53 against pin 98.

The clamping and halting of the paper is timed Cto 4occur when each successive sheet is in registration Von the table and Ycontinues in action during the subsequent tearing off and discharge of the advance sheet and particularly during the period of 'writing on the registered sheet to there- Vby prevent :any ,disturbance Vof the registration. The clam-p .is opened only when necessary to advance the strip over the table and remains closed at all other times.

In order to avoid the possibility of operating the slide sleeve 39 and its appurtenances 'for a forward stroke at .too high speed which might ad- Vance the strip too far before the clamp has `a chance to act, an escapement is provided which prevents the slide from travel beyond the clamping point'until the clamp has completely closed. This escapement consists of astop ear 99 fastened to the yside of `the right hand clamp foot 11 (see Figs. '3 and 4), and projecting into the path of the escapementfdog e3 on the ringer piece operating member .38 when said clampfoot 'H .is down, as in Fig. '7. VThe dog 43 will pass under the stop ear when the clamp foot ll is up and closed (see Fig. 8) ,and permit the continued forward movement of the slide as shown in said figure.

What I claim is: Y Y

1. Ina machine of theclass described, acasing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver forwardly thereof, a constantly stationary deiiector extending rearwardly from said receiver into overlapping relation with said writing table, means for feeding lto said receiver a ,plurality ef superposed strips of'paper sheets over said writing' table with an upper strip guided above said deilector and a lower strip guided below said deflector, and means to effect a tearing severance of -said upper andlower strips along a transverse line in front of said writing table.

2. `In a machine of the class described, a `casing `providing a writing table and a sheet .receiver forwardly thereof, said receiver-comprising alower compartment :and a discharge platform above the same, a deiiector integral with said platform and projecting rearwardly Atherefrom into overlapping relation with said writing table, means for feeding to said receiver va plurality of superposed strips yof vpaper sheets over .said writing table Vwith an upper strip Yguided Vabove said -defiector and Jailowerstrip guided :belowv deflector, and means .toeffecta severanceof said upper 'and lower Istrips along a transverse .line 1in front ofsaid writing .tabl'e'andidischarge anupper severed Vsheet 'onto said platform, and a lower severed sheet into said compartment,

.3. .In a machine kof the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a Vsheet receiver forwardly thereof, said receiver comprising a lower compartmentV and a discharge platform above the same, Lsaid platform having a rearwardly converging .tongue portion extending into overlapped relation with said writing table, means .for feeding to said receiver a plurality of superposed strips of paper sheets over said writing table with an `.upper strip guided above said tongue .and a lower lstrip guided below said tongue, and means to effect a severance of said upper and lower superposed strips along Ya transverse line in front of said writing table `and discharge an upper severed sheet onto said platform and a lower severed sheet into said compartment. Y

4. In a machine of the class described, aV casing providing la writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, means to feed a continuous strip of paperr sheets over said table to position .a forwardsheet over said receiver and a succeeding sheet in registration with said table, means to hold the succeeding sheet without interrupting the continued advance of said forward `sheet 'by the feeding means, whereby said forward sheet is torn from said strip 4by said feed means.

5. .In .a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver forwardly thereof, said receiver comprising. a lower compartment and a discharge platform above the same, means to feed a plurality of continuous rsuperposed rstrips of paper sheets over said table to position forward sheets at said receiver and succeeding sheets in registration with said table, adeiiector extendingrearwardly from said receiver serving to guide an upper strip of sheets to said platform and a lower strip of sheets to said compartment, and means to hold all of said succeeding superposed sheets without interrupting the continued advance of all of said forwardsuperposed sheets `by the feeding means, whereby said forward superposed sheets are torn from saidstrips by said feedmeans.

6. In a machine -of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, means for feeding a continuous strip of paper sheets over said table to position a forward sheetrat said receiver and a succeeding sheet at'said table; means actuated by said feed means to hold the said succeeding sheet at said table, said feed means comprising a gripper and means operating said gripper to pull said forward sheet after said succeeding sheet has been stopped to thereby tear said forward sheet from said succeedingsheet. Y 't '7. In a machine'of the class described, a casing providing `a writing table-and a sheet receiver in front thereof, means for feeding Va continuousV strip of .paper sheets vover said table to position a forward sheet at said receiver and a-succeeding sheet at said table ;v said strip having a transverse rupture line between sheets forV being torn apart, means actuated -by said feed means to hold the succeeding sheet at said table, said feed means comprising a gripper, andrmeans operating saidV gripper to apply a pullon said forward -sheet Yin a vdirection at right angles to said rupture line untilsaid succeeding sheet is stopped and thereafter to apply fa lpu'll on `said'forward sheet in a direction at anacute angle to said rupture line to therebyY tear said forward sheet from said succeedingsheet. n

`il. Inamachine of 'theY class describeda casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiverin front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeedingsheet to said table, said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, means actuated by said slide during its forward stroke to clamp said succeeding sheet on said table, means operating said gripper to pull said forward sheet after said succeeding sheet has been clamped so as to tear said forward sheet from said clamped sheet, and means to release said clamp means at the end of the forward stroke of said slide.

9. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table, said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, stopping means actuated by said slide prior to the end of its forward stroke to hold the succeeding sheet on said table, said gripper com prising jaws, spring means tending to close said jaws, and a latch for holding the same open, means for latching said jaws open at the forward end of a slide stroke, and means for unlatching said jaws to close by said spring means at the rear end of a slide stroke.

10. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table; said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable `slide having a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, stopping means actuated by said slide prior to the end of its forward stroke to halt further travel of said succeeding sheet, escapement means to prevent completion of a forward slide stroke until after said stopping means has been actuated by said slide, and means operating said gripper to pull said forward sheet after said succeeding sheet has been halted to thereby tear said forward sheet from said succeeding sheet.

11. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, means to feed a continuous strip of paper sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet into registration with said table,

means to hold the succeeding sheet when it arrives in registration with said table without interrupting the continued action of Said feed means in advancing said forward sheet, said feed means comprising a gripper and means operating said gripper after said succeeding sheet has been held, to apply a pull on said forward sheet in a combined lateral and forward direction so as to tear said forward sheet from said succeeding sheet.

l2. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table, said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, stopping means actuated by said slide prior to the end of its forward stroke to hold the,`

succeeding sheet on said table, and means operating said gripper after said succeeding sheet has been held to apply a pull on said forward sheet in a combined forward and lateral direction during the completion of said slide stroke so as to tear said forward sheet from said halted succeeding strip.

13. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism to feed a continuous strip of sheets over said table in advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table,"said paper feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable Slide having a forward and return stroke, and a gripper pivotally carried on said slide `and positioned to grasp a front corner of said forward sheet in feeding said strip, stopping means actuated by said slide prior to the end of its forward stroke to hold the succeeding sheet on said table, means for restraining said gripper against swinging movement on said slide until said succeeding sheet is held by said stopping means, said means having provision for thereafter releasing said gripper to swing inwardly of said slide under the reactive pull from said halted sheet during the completion of said slide stroke so as to effect tearing of the forward sheet from said succeeding sheet by a combined lateral and forward pull of said gripper.

lll. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism to feed a continuous strip of sheets over said table in advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table, said paper feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke, and a gripper pivotally carried on said slide and positioned to grasp a front corner of said forward sheet in feeding said strip, stopping means actuated by said slide prior to the end of its forward stroke to hold the succeeding sheet on said table, means for restraining said gripper againstswinging movement on said slide until said succeeding sheet is held by said stopping means, said means having provision for thereafter releasing said gripper to swing inwardly of said slide under the reactive pull from said halted sheet during the completion of said slide stroke so as to effect tearing of the forward sheet from said succeeding sheet by a combined lateral and forward pull of said gripper, means to open said gripper to release the paper at the forward end of said slide stroke, and means to retain said gripper in its inwardly swung position after said gripper has opened and for a short distance on the return stroke of said slide.

15. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism to feed a continuous strip of sheets over said table in advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table, said paper feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke, and a gripper pivotally carried o-n said slide and positioned to grasp a front corner of said forward sheet in feeding said strip, a spring tending to hold said gripper in xed position on said slide, stopping means actuated by said slide prior to the end of its forward stroke to hold the succeeding sheet on said table, guiding devices for restraining said gripper against swinging move- .ment on ,said slide during the erst part of the forward stroke of said slide and until the stopping means has` been actuated by said slide, said guiding devices being constructed to release said gripper for inward swinging movement on its pivot under the reactive pull from said held sheet during the remainder of said slide stroke so as to effect tearing of said forward sheet from said succeeding sheet by a combined lateral and forward pull of said gripper.

1 16. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, means to feed a continuous strip of paper sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet into registration with said table, means to hold the succeeding sheet when it arrives in registration with said table without interrupting the continued action of said feed means in advancing said forward sheet, wherebys'aid forward sheet is torn from said strip by said feed means, said holding means for the paper comprising a clamp mounted adjacent the table, spring means tending to close said clamp, and cam means operated by said paper feed means to open said clamp.

1'7. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiving in front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table, said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, means for clamping a succeeding sheet to said table actuated during a latter part of a forward slide stroke, means operating said gripper to pull said forward sheet after said succeeding sheet has been clamped so as to tear said forward sheet from said clamped sheet, said Yclamping means comprising a shiftable clamp member having a limited throw, spring means normally tending to hold said member in its clamp closingposition, and cam means operated by said slide to shift said clamp member for opening the same during the earlier part of thek forward slide stroke.

18. In a machine of the class described, a casing providing a writing table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver andV a succeeding sheet to said table, said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide khaving a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, clamp means to hold said succeeding sheet on said table during thelatter part of the forward slide` stroke, means operating said gripper to; pull said forward sheet vafter said succeeding sheetl has been held so as to tear said forward sheet from said clamped sheet, said clamp means comprising a vertically vshiftable clamp member having a limited throw, spring means normally tending to raise said member for closing the clamp, cam meansV to depress said clamp member for opening said clamp, and means carried by said slide to operate said cam means for an opening clamp action at the end of the return stroke of said slide. Y Y

19. In a machine of the class desoribed,a casing providing a writingv table and a sheet receiver in front thereof, paper feed mechanism operative to pull a continuous strip of sheets over said table for advancing a forward sheet to said receiver and a succeeding sheet to said table, said feed mechanism comprising a reciprocable slide having a forward and return stroke and a gripper carried thereby, clamp means to hold said succeeding sheet on said table during the latter part of a forward slide stroke, means operating said gripper to pull said forward sheet after said succeeding sheet has been held so as to tear said forward sheet vfrom said clamped sheet, said clampy means comprising a vertically movable clamp member having a limited throw, spring means. normally tending to raise said member for closing the clamp, cam means to depress said clamp. member for opening saidA clamp, `means carried by said slide to actuate said cam means for clamp closing action when said succeeding sheet has arrived on said table, and means carried by said slide to operate said cam means for clamp opening action at the end of the return stroke of said slide.

LESLIE A. HOLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 965,708 Hano July 26, 1910 1,146,520V Ritschard ,July 13, 1915 1,481,519 Macdonald Jan. 22, 1924 2,046,746 Holman July 7, 1936 

